Barney's Vegan Running Musings : Tom Williams and the Boat

Having just started blogging, I thought I'd just remind you about my Mudkiss album of the month for February by the fantastic Tom Williams and the Boat.

Tom Williams and the Boat – “Too Slow”

Tom Williams and the Boat first floated across my view supporting Stornoway early last year and I’d also heard them played on Tom Robinson’s 6 music Introducing show. There was always something just a little bit special about the band, which I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but have been keeping a close eye on their progress via the mailing list. When the “See My Evil” EP was released last November, it became apparent that this wasn’t, as suspected, just another UK folk outfit, riding the resurgent wave, but a band with real depth and in particular, exceptional lyrical dexterity. “See My Evil’s” collection of songs portrayed some of the most wonderfully dark and twisted images I heard in quite some time and highlighted a talent for writing that appeared to be straight from the heart and lacked the ambiguity seen within the majority of artists. If pushed to name similar writers, perhaps Mike Skinner or Frank Turner who are also not averse to baring their souls and Tom Williams is definitely cut from the same fabric.

Three songs from the “See My Evil” EP also appear on this debut album, “See My Evil” itself, “Get Older,” and “Strong Wheels.” These all musically have a harder edge, strengthened with the use of more forceful electric guitar, which is best exemplified by the psychedelic squall in “See My Evil.” The darkest lyrics are particularly apparent in “Get Older” which deals with revenge against an ex lover with Williams proclaiming, hopefully metaphorically and not literally “You crucified my daughter, so I butchered your son.”

The songs across the whole album do suggest an extremely personal body of work, and there doesn’t appear much that Williams isn’t prepared to address. Relationship issues, both romantically and also within the family, feeling outcast from society and also bereavement in a particularly graphic way, “Have you ever seen a dead man, unzipped out of his bag, lying in an inch of chemical reserve, mouth froze open wide” from “90mph.” There’s also a real sense of insecurity apparent from the opening line of “24,” “It’s just I can’t imagine a woman being true, they all say they find it so insulting, something’s wrong with you,” followed later in the same song with “24 now and I’ve never been cool.”

This continues in “Too Slow” outlining a desire for both parental and also an ex partner’s acceptance during difficult times “Until I have a place that I can show my parents round, I can’t start picking up the phone again or stop hiding from you in town.” Family issues are to the fore again in “Train Station Car Park” with what initially appears to be an almost throw away tune relating to the slightly bizarre subject of the M25, highlighting within the chorus its position as “a ring road around London.” Listen slightly closer however and it transpires there’s a more insightful memory of a busy home life from the child’s perspective and the simple lyric of “My family’s all over the country, no pick-up for me” will I’m sure resonate with many. Ultimately, that’s the key to this whole album. I’m perfectly at home listening to a Norwegian metal band scream their way through songs about mythical Norse gods, but music with true longevity speaks directly to you and as an individual, you are able to identify fully with the subject matter through your own life experiences.

Musically there are folk elements within the melodies, but the influences, particularly from Springsteen, are also apparent, especially in “90 mph” where the saxophone and piano are pure E Street Band. The use of violin also adds to the overall sound, either to jolly along some of the more uptempo tunes or to add a melancholic air in “Wouldn’t Women Be Sweet.” Some of the rhythms may be a little basic, but in this case that really doesn’t matter as there is much more to draw the attention.

I’d love to sit down with Tom Williams, analyse this record and discover that everything is written autobiographically and relate how I can personally identify with many of his feelings, as that’s exactly the reason this is such a brilliant debut. Whether he would be prepared to do the same is another matter, but stranger things have happened.

I’d urge anyone on February 21^st to go out, or in this digital age, stay in and buy “Too Slow” and in the meantime, download “Kick the Cat” and “In Love” from the “See My Evil” EP. One request though, please don’t give Tom Williams and the Boat a cursory listen. Take your time... relax... pour a beer, a glass of wine, a cup of tea, whatever suits and put on some headphones and drink in the whole experience. I can guarantee there will be an experience that virtually anyone can relate too directly within their own circumstances.

Just a final note to Tom and the band. I think anyone that can produce work this compelling and of such a high standard is undoubtedly cool and small things will definitely be picking up during 2011, as the continued and enhanced support from 6 music testifies.

Just one slight criticism, February 14^th would have been a much more inspired and ironic release date as this album would have made the perfect anti Valentines gift.

Track Listing

Concentrate

90mph

Get Older

Too Slow

Wouldn’t Woman Be Sweet

Denmark

Train Station Car Park

Strong Wheels

See My Evil

Voicemail

www.tomwilliamsandtheboat.co.uk